Spring may bring with it a surplus of sneezing fits, muddy puddles, and questionable tank-top choices, but it also packs a bevy of new releases. You don’t think local musicians just hole up indoors, smoke pot, watch episodes of The Wire, and lay dormant all winter, do you? Probably the most eagerly awaited — here and across the country — release from Boston will be the one from former Come frontwoman THALIA ZEDEK and her newly firmed-up Thalia Zedek Band, with violinist David Michael Curry, drummer Daniel Coughlin, bassist Winston Braman, and pianist Mel Lederman. Liars and Prayers is due from Thrill Jockey on April 22.

Over the past few years, Boston’s hip-hop scene has been doggedly prolific, with mix CDs, collaborations, and solo joints flying out the ears of headz. But of special note in the never-ending flow of jams is the never-ending flow of the CAMP — representing Woburn, Lynn, and Stoneham, of course. A nasty preview track on their MySpace page called “Little Story” doesn’t give me the feeling that their new The Campaign will be the feel-good record of the year, but it does show why Beantown is good for the gritty shit. They pitch their tents at the Middle East upstairs on April 11 for the grand release sing-along.

Over in Allston, meanwhile, the five-headed beast that is HO-AG has been hard at work on its new as-yet-untitled full-length due from Hello Sir records in April. Details are few (a song called “Teeth for Eyes” sounds promising), but that’s just as well — most of Ho-Ag’s breakneck romps through fields of noise end up being a bit of a blissful blur. The mystery unfurls at Great Scott as they drop the disc with the help of HALLELUJAH THE HILLS, PRETTY AND NICE, and THUNDERHOLE on April 12.

Those in the market for something a bit more brutal and gruesome might focus their impatience toward DESTRUCT-A-THON’s Aloha Jihad. Without the aid of a preview, but with the benefit of experience, it’s safe to say their forthcoming EP won’t be unlike releasing a hungry wolverine into the wild of your ears. That it’s only three songs long should demonstrate that even Destruct-a-thon have mercy somewhere in their black, black hearts. The madness goes public on May 2 with a party at the Middle East featuring WE’RE ALL GONNA DIE and 26 BEERS.

There was hardly a damn thing wrong with THICK AS THIEVES’ auspicious debut, last year’s We Planted Driftwood and Nothing Changed, which smuggled bits of Television homage into a jarringly original post-punk presentation. A glance at the blog they set up to document the progress of their follow-up (where one of them seems to be playing a cow-print ottoman) suggests that True Believers in the Long Walk Home will be just as varied and thoughtful. If you haven’t yet, feel strangely obligated to check them out at their release party with the equally intriguing MAIN DRAG at T.T. the Bear’s Place on May 2.

More than Mozart One of the spring’s most exciting prospects is the premiere of John Harbison’s But Mary Stood: Sacred Symphonies for Chorus and Instruments.

Celebrating the blues The seed of a new festival in Providence has begun to germinate, thanks to Mark Millof.

Jazz hands There was a time when it was easy to hate Geoff Farina. Well, maybe hate is too strong a word.

Static movements The LA-based label Mush, home to the clever instrumental hip-hop of Caural, Daedalus, and Company Flow’s Bigg Jus, has signed one of our favorite local pop projects: Boy in Static. K-The-I???, "You're Not That Beautiful" (mp3)

Fortunate one It was no surprise to find Chris Brokaw in Hawaii last week, just two Saturdays before he’s due back in Cambridge to pull a double shift upstairs at the Middle East.

World music There’s more to Boston’s classical music scene than the Boston Symphony Orchestra.

BOSTON PRIDE WEEK: OFF THE MAP | June 07, 2010 We may seem a little cranky, but us local gayfolk just love a parade, and we’re actually heartened by this annual influx of brothers and sisters from every state of New England and every letter of our ever-expanding acronym.

THE NEW GAY BARS | June 02, 2010 If I may channel the late, great Estelle Getty for a moment: picture it, Provincetown, 2009, a dashing young man with no discernible tan and an iffy T-Mobile signal languishes bored upon the sprawling patio of the Boatslip Resort.

ARIEL PINK’S HAUNTED GRAFFITI | BEFORE TODAY | June 01, 2010 If the gradual polishing of Ariel Pink’s sound — and it’s not all that much more polished — puts his loyalists at odds with his albums, I count that as good news.

MORE THAN HUMAN | May 26, 2010 It’s hard to talk about Janelle Monáe when your jaw’s fallen off.